By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: A former judge of the Islamabad High Court, who was removed from his position in 2018 for accusing the military of interfering in judicial affairs, has named several retired army generals and former judges as respondents in his case challenging his removal.
Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, the former judge, filed an amended application on Thursday before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, seeking to include former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, former director general of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Faiz Hamid, three retired brigadiers — Irfan Ramay, Faisal Marwat and Tahir Wafai — as well as a former chief justice of the Islamabad High Court, Anwar Khan Kasi, and a former registrar of the Supreme Court, Arbab Muhammad Arif.
Siddiqui claimed that these individuals were directly or indirectly involved in the allegations he made in a speech at the Rawalpindi Bar Association on July 21, 2018, in which he accused the ISI of manipulating the judiciary and pressuring him to give favorable verdicts in certain cases.
He also alleged that the ISI had a role in the appointment and removal of judges.
The speech prompted a complaint against Siddiqui by the then-chief justice of Pakistan, Saqib Nisar, to the Supreme Judicial Council, a constitutional body that oversees the conduct of judges. The council found Siddiqui guilty of misconduct and recommended his removal to the president of Pakistan, who issued a notification on Oct. 11, 2018, terminating his service.
Siddiqui challenged the council’s opinion and the president’s notification in the Supreme Court, arguing that they were unconstitutional, illegal and based on malice. He also sought a judicial inquiry into his allegations against the ISI and the judiciary.
The Supreme Court, which is hearing the appeal, asked Siddiqui’s counsel on Thursday to make the former army chiefs and judges parties to the case, saying that it would not hear any allegation against them without allowing them to respond.
The chief justice of Pakistan, Qazi Faez Isa, who is heading a five-judge bench, said that it was unfair to malign institutions and that individuals running them should be held accountable instead. The bench adjourned the hearing until Friday when it is expected to issue notices to the newly added respondents.
Siddiqui’s case has highlighted the tense relationship between the civilian and military authorities in Pakistan, where the army has ruled the country for nearly half of its 74-year history and still exerts considerable influence over politics and security. The case has also raised questions about the independence and integrity of the judiciary, which has been accused of being biased and politicized by various parties and groups.
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